RECORD SWAP - PART 4: TAKIN A CHANCE

ANOTHER RECORD FOR A SUNDAY MORNING, LET'S SHOW OFF ANOTHER SWAP

RECORD GIVEN: 101 STRINGS - AWARD HITS FROM BROADWAY AND HOLLYWOOD

THIS IS SUCH A GENERIC LOOKING 'PUT A PRETTY GIRL ON THE COVER TO SELL SOME PREFAB EASY LISTENING SCHLOCK' COVER THAT I DIDN'T REALIZE THIS WAS A 101 STRINGS RECORD. NOT THAT 101 STRINGS DOESN'T EMBRACE IT'S PREFAB EASY LISTENING SCHLOCKNESS BECAUSE IT CERTAINLY DOES, BUT THEIR BRANDING NORMALLY EMPHASIZES THE STRINGS PART WITH THE SAME PICTURE OF THE ORCHESTRA IN THE MUSIKHALLE HAMBURG ON A BUNCH OF THEIR ALBUMS. THEY WEREN'T ABOVE PUTTING PRETTY GIRLS ON THE ALBUM COVERS THOUGH, OR ANYTHING ELSE THAT COULD MOVE PRODUCT BUT IT DIDN'T REALLY CLICK WITH ME THAT THIS WAS THE CLOUD LOGO ORCHESTRA UNTIL AFTER THE RECORD WAS GONE

I NEVER ONCE LISTENED TO THIS ALBUM AND DON'T PARTICULARLY WANT TO, BUT HERE'S A SAMPLE IF YOU'RE CURIOUS. THE MASTERMIND OF THIS MUSIC SELLING SCHEME WAS PRODUCER DAVE MILLER WHOSE OTHER CLAIM TO FAME WAS PRODUCING EARLY BILL HALEY AND THE COMETS RECORDS. INSTEAD OF TRACKING DOWN SOME SLUDGY STRINGS ON YOUTUBE, LISTEN TO THIS A HISTORY OF ROCK MUSIC IN 500 SONGS EPISODE THAT HAS SOME JUICY DIRT ON DAVE'S EARLY DAYS. YOU CAN THANK ME LATER AFTER YOU'VE BINGED THE WHOLE PODCAST. THE BACK OF THE RECORD IS PRETTY INGENIOUS IN ITS EFFICIENCY. GIGANTIC TITLE, TRACK LISTING, A PARAGRAPH ON HOW THE INSTRUMENTS IN THE ORCHESTRA COST HALF A MILLION DOLLARS!!!1 AND THEN A HELPFUL SELECTION OF OTHER 101 STRINGS ALBUMS YOU CAN PLUNK A BUCK NINETY-EIGHT ON. THERE WAS NO RECORD SLEEVE ON THIS ONE BUT IF FORCED AT GUNPOINT TO PLAY THE 'PICK THE ALBUM YOU WANT' GAME I GUESS I COULD GO FOR THE HENRY MANCINI DISK

I GOTTA SAY I REALLY LIKE THAT LOGOTYPE FOR ALSHIRE RECORDS. IT'S WAY COOLER THAN IT NEEDS TO BE TO SELL LOW BUDGET EASY LISTENING SCHLOCK. THE 101 STRINGS LOGO IS THE EXACT AMOUNT OF COOL FOR SELLING LOW BUDGET EASY LISTENING SCHLOCK. I WANT TO SAY THAT I WOULD WEAR A ⓣ𐊖ꞪᛁᴙŤ WITH THAT LOGO ON IT BUT I DON'T WANT EVEN MORE SPAM FLOODING MY COMMENTS. BUT I TOTALLY WOULD, THAT AND THE CHARLTON COMICS LOGO

RECORD GOT: RICK WAKEMAN - THE SIX WIVES OF HENRY VIII

AFTER THE HAPPY LADY WITH MY BARRY WHITE RECORD WAS FINISHED, I GOT TO CHECK OUT THE ROCK/POP CRATE AND I'M GONNA BE HONEST THERE'S WASN'T MUCH LEFT BY THE TIME I GOT THERE BUT THIS THING POPPED UP AND IMMIDIATELY CAUGHT MY EYE. I AM A BIG FAN OF YES AND ANNOYED MY PARENTS WITH MANY LISTENINGS OF FRAGILE WHEN I WAS A KID. THE COVER IS PRETTY STRIKING WITH THE MUSICAL STAVES ON THE BORDER AND RICK HANGIN OUT WITH HANK AND HIS GIRLS. I HAD NEVER EVER HEARD OF THIS RECORD BEFORE BUT RICK'S KEYBOARDS ARE SOME OF MY FAVORITE BITS ON YES RECORDS SO I TOOK A CHANCE AND GRABBED IT

THE BACK COVER IS AMAZING, YOU GET LITTLE BIOGRAPHIES OF ALL THE WIVES SO YOU CAN GET TO KNOW THEM WHILE SMOKING A BOWL AND LISTENING TO PROG-ROCK INTERPRETATIONS OF THEIR LIVES. I AM ALSO AMUSED THAT THE WIVES' TRACKS ARE NOT IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER. ANNE BOLEYN JUST FIT BETTER ON SIDE TWO

THE GATEFOLD IS PRETTY COOL WITH A GIGANTIC PHOTO OF WAKEMAN SURROUNDED BY KEYBOARDS USED ON THE ALBUM AND THERE'S STILL A SYNTH, A HARPSICHORD AND AN ORGAN USED THAT AREN'T IN THE PIC. FOUR MEMBERS OF YES ALSO APPEAR ON THE ALBUM. RICK LEAVES US A LITTLE NOTE EXPLAINING THAT THE ALBUM IS BASED ON HIS INTERPRETATION OF THE MUSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE WIVES AND APOLOGISES IF THEY ARE NOT IN KEEPING WITH THEIR PERSONAL HISTORY. I RESPECT THAT, THIS IS HIS ALBUM OF QUEEN THEMES AND HE SHALL STAY TRUE TO HIS VISION

THE RECORD SLEEVE IS DIE-CUT WITH THE A&M P.O.BOX IN A FANCY FONT AT THE BOTTOM. VERY CLASSY

NOT MY FAVORITE A&M LABEL TO BE HONEST. ORANGY BROWN DOESN'T LOOK THAT GREAT. THE DISCO ERA LABEL WITH THE HUGE A M OR THE 80S VERSION WITH LITTLE ABSTRACT DISCS THROUGH THE MIDDLE LOOK MUCH NICER. OH WELL. IT KINDA FITS IN WITH THE COLOR PALLETTE OF THE ALBUM COVER AT LEAST

OK SO HOW IS THE ACTUAL MUSIC? PRETTY DAMN GOOD! I LIKE THE OPENER CATHERINE OF ARAGON AND CLOSER CATHERINE PARR THE BEST, STRAIGHT UP PROG ROCK WITH KICKASS DRUMMING AND LOTS OF GREAT KEYBOARDS. ANNE OF CLEVES IS A REALLY COOL JAM SESSION AND THERE'S SOME GREAT PIANO ON CATHERINE HOWARD THAT REMINDS ME A LITTLE OF BILLY JOEL FOR SOME REASON I CAN'T FIGURE OUT. THERE'S A BIT OF A LULL IN THE MIDDLE WITH THE JANE SEYMOUR CHURCH ORGAN AND THE NOODLING ON ANNE BOLEYN BUT THE CLOSING TRACK WILL DEFINITELY WAKE YOU UP

SO A TRADE FOR SOME JUNK I'M NOT INTERESTED IN OTHER THAN THE BACKSTORY FOR SOME PROG ROCK GOODNESS. WHATEVER WILL THE FINAL TRADE BRING?

RECORD SWAP - PART 3: MASSIVE UPGRADE

MOAR RECORDS FOR A SLEEPY SUNDAY. LET'S GOOOO

RECORD GIVEN: ROY CLARK - COME LIVE WITH ME

I AM NOT A COUNTRY MUSIC KIND OF GUY. SOME OF IT IS REALLY GOOD AND THERE'S A LOT I DON'T MIND LISTENING TO, BUT IT'S NOT REALLY MY SCENE. MT GRANDFATHER LIKED IT THO AND WATCHED HEE-HAW A LOT SO I AM VERY FAMILIAR WITH ROY CLARK. THIS RECORD WAS RESCUED FROM THE FREE BIN AT SECOND AND CHARLES LAST YEAR. NORMALLY WHEN I PICK UP A NEW RECORD I LISTEN TO IT ONLINE BUT WITH THIS ONE I HAVE NOT AND WILL NOT. I GOTTA SAY I LIKE THE COVER THOUGH, EARLY 70'S CHEESE IS VERY COMFORTING TO ME

IT'S NOT A JAZZ RECORD NOVEL, BUT I APPRECIATE THE  LINER NOTES ON THE BACK PROVIDING SOME CONTEXT HERE. I NOW KNOW THE HIT SINGLE IS THE TITLE TRACK AND CAME OBLIQUELY FROM HEE-HAW. STILL NOT GONNA LISTEN TO IT, BUT CONTEXT IS NICE. WHILE THIS IS NOT SOMETHING I'M INTERESTED IN, WHO KNOWS, IT MIGHT BE QUALITY TO SOMEONE, IT DID HAVE A NUMBER ONE COUNTRY HIT ON IT AFTER ALL

HOORAY! WE GET TO PLAY THE 'WHICH RECORD ON THE ALBUM SLEEVE WOULD I BUY' GAME AGAIN! ALTHOUGH THIS ONE HAS MORE OF A 'WHICH ONE WOULD I TAKE AT GUNPOINT' FEEL TO IT AS I DO NOT KNOW OR CARE ABOUT 70'S COUNTRY AT ALL. I THINK MY CHOICE WOULD BE JOE STAMPLEY'S IF YOU TOUCH ME (YOU'VE GOT TO LOVE ME) BECAUSE I COULD SEE THAT FITTING IN ON ONE OF THOSE LISTS OF TERRIBLE AND/OR BIZARRE ALBUM COVERS WE USED TO SEE A TON OF BACK IN 2003. THE COMPTON BROTHERS' MURDER STARES ARE A CLOSE SECOND THOUGH

AGAIN WE HAVE A BUNCH OF RECORDS THAT I'VE NEVER HEARD AND DON'T REALLY WANT TO, BUT I SAW HANK THOMPSON'S (NOT THE NEW YORK GIANTS PLAYER) NEXT TIME I FALL IN LOVE (I WON'T) AND GIGGLED LIKE AN IMBICILE FOR LIKE FIVE MINUTES SO I GOTTA GO WITH THAT ONE JUST FOR THE COMEDY

NEVER HEARD OF DOT RECORDS. OR THE FAMOUS MUSIC CORPORATION FOR THAT MATTER. THE LOGO IS BOLD BUT NOT REALLY MEMORABLE. NOT SURE WHY ALL THE PICTURES OF THE SIDE 2 LABELS ARE COMING OUT BLURRY, BUT THIS RECORD IS GONE AND THERE WILL BE NO RETAKES

RECORD GOT: STAN GETZ & JOAO GILBERTO - GETZ/GILBERTO

ACTUAL JAZZ ALBUMS (NOT THE MUSAK PAUL MAURIAT VARIETY) ARE SOMEWHAT RARE IN THRIFT SHOP CRATE DIGGING NOWADAYS AND THIS ONE HAD ME SHOOK WHEN I FOUND IT MIXED AMONGST THE EASY LISTENING DRIVEL. ALTHOUGH... THIS KINDA IS EASY LISTENING AS WE ALL THINK OF IT NOWADAYS AS THE GIRL FROM IPANEMA IS SO GODDAMN ICONIC IT'S BASICALLY A MEME AT THIS POINT. IT'S SO MELLOW IT'S AN INTEGRAL PART OF ONE OF THE ABSOLUTE FUNNIEST BITS IN THE BLUES BROTHERS. SHIT DON'T GET ICONIC FOR NO REASON THOUGH AND THIS ALBUM IS BASICALLY WHY BOSSA NOVA IS STILL A THING. THE WHOLE ALBUM IS GREAT WITH VERY CHILL GUITAR AND VOCALS FROM JOAO GILBERTO AND AMAZING SAX LICKS FROM STAN GETZ. WHEN I TALK ABOUT SUNDAY MORNING RECORDS, I MEAN THIS. CHECK OUT SÓ DANÇO SAMBA FOR A NON-IPANEMA TASTE OF THIS ALBUM

THE ALBUM COVER IS PRETTY DANG ICONIC TOO WITH A STRIKING ABSTRACT EXPRESSIONIST PAINTING BY OLGA ALBIZU SURROUNDED BY BLACK. THE 1971 TOPPS OF ALBUM COVERS. EAT YOUR HEART OUT METALLICA 

IT'S GOT COOL STUFF INSIDE THE GATEFOLD TOO. THERE'S A NICE BIG PHOTO OF GILBERTO, GETZ AND PIANIST ANTÔNIO CARLOS JOBIM, WHO WROTE A BUNCH OF THE SONGS ON THE ALBUM. IT ALSO HAS THE REQUISITE JAZZ NOVEL LINER NOTES WITH COMMENTS FROM BOTH GETZ AND GILBERTO. MY FAVORITE BIT IS THAT PRODUCER CREED TAYLOR PUT HIS SIGNATURE ON THE ALBUM, THIS REALLY IS 1971 TOPPS, FACSIMILE AUTOGRAPH AND ALL. BUT IT GETS EVEN BETTER! CHECK OUT THE ALBUM SLEEVE

THIS IS THE ABSOLUTE COOLEST WAY TO SHOW OFF A LABEL'S OTHER RECORDS THAT I'VE EVER SEEN. A RECORD-SIZED CIRCLE OF PHOTOS OF THE ARTISTS WITH THE ALBUMS UNDERNEATH IN A HEXAGON. THIS LOOKS SO DAMN GOOD. I PASSED UP COUNT BASIE ON THE PREVIOUS SLEEVE, I'M NOT PASSING HIM UP HERE, GIMME THAT BEST OF ALBUM

LOOK AT ELLA FITZGERALD'S ALBUMS THREATENING TO KNOCK THE VERVE LOGO OFF CENTER. I'LL TAKE THE ALBUM WITH ELLA AND DUKE ELLINGTON PLEASE

LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS VERVE RECORDS T  LABEL LOGO. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE T STANDS FOR BUT IT LOOKS COOL. I'D ABSOLUTELY WEAR THIS ON A T-SHIRT LIKE A BIG RECORD NERD. I'VE GOT A FRANK ZAPPA RECORD WITH THIS LABEL SOMEWHERE AND YOU'VE GOT TO LOVE A COMPANY THAT WOULD RELEASE BOTH ZAPPA AND THIS

SPOILER: THIS IS MY FAVORITE RECORD OUT OF THE ONES I PICKED UP. THERE'S STILL TWO MORE TO SHOW OFF THOUGH. ARE THEY QUALITY OR DID I HAVE TO PICK OUT WHAT I COULD FROM THE DREGS?

RECORD SWAP - PART 2: THE ONE I'M PRETTY OK WITH

SUNDAY MORINGS ARE FOR RECORDS SO HERE'S A COUPLE MORE FROM MY BOOK SWAP TRADES

RECORD GIVEN: BARRY WHITE - JUST ANOTHER WAY TO SAY I LOVE YOU

I DON'T REMEMBER IF I ORIGINALLY GOT THIS ONE AT THE FLEA MARKET OR A PREVIOUS BOOK SWAP OR SOMEPLACE ELSE BUT I DO REMEMBER I GOT IT CHEAP, LISTENED TO IT ONCE AND THEN NEVER PICKED IT UP AGAIN. LIKE THE SPRINGSTEEN DISK THIS WAS A 'PUT IN SOME QUALITY FOR GOOD KARMA' TRADE. IT'S BARRY WHITE SO IT'S GOOD BUT IT WAS GATHERING DUST HERE AND I HOPED IT MIGHT GO TO SOMEONE WHO WOULD APPRECIATE IT MORE

THE COVER'S OK, EXTRA SWEATY BARRY ON THE FRONT, BLACK & WHITE BARRY ON THE BACK. YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GETTING WITH THIS ALBUM. ONE OF THE REASONS I DIDN'T HAVE A BIG PROBLEM WITH GIVING THIS ONE UP IS THAT ANY QUALITY MUSIC CAN ALWAYS BE FOUND ONLINE NOWADAYS. UNFORTUNATELY NOW THAT I'M TYPING THIS OUT IT APPEARS THE FULL ALBUM IS NOT ON YOUTUBE. WHOOPS 

THE VINYL SLEEVE IS VERY ELEGANT, A SIMPLE LIGHT BLUE WITH THE 20TH CENTURY RECORDS LOGO IN THE MIDDLE

LABEL IS NICE AND SIMPLE TOO, BIG LOGO AND A TRACK LISTING ON TOP OF A PASTEL SUNSET LOOKING BACKGROUND. LOOKS GOOD, QUALITY STUFF HERE

THE SECOND RECORD I PICKED OUT OF THE BINS TRADED A SEXY MUSIC ALBUM FOR A SEXY ALBUM COVER

RECORD GOT: PAUL MAURIAT AND HIS ORCHESTRA - MAURIAT MAGIC

I'VE SEEN A LOT OF CHEESECAKE ALBUM COVERS IN MY DAY BUT THIS IS THE CHEESECAKIEST. I 100% DID NOT KNOW WHO EVEN MADE THIS ALBUM UNTIL I GOT HOME AND LOOKED IT UP. WHO THE HECK IS IT ANYWAY?

MAURIAT MAGIC. THE INSIDE GATEFOLD DOESN'T TELL US MUCH BUT THE DESIGN HERE IS EYE POPPING. GOING TO ADMIT I WAS VERY WTF IS THIS WHEN I FIRST SAW THE COVER BUT THIS GENIE LAMP ARTWORK KINDA WON ME OVER TO THE VIBE OF THIS RECORD

PAUL MAURIAT AND HIS ORCHESTRA. YOU'RE PROBABLY STILL ASKING WHO THE HELL IS THAT, AND I GET IT. BUT IF YOU'RE A GEEZER LIKE ME, YOU HAVE PROBABLY HEARD THIS GUY'S STUFF BEFORE AS HE HAD A NUMBER ONE HIT IN 1968 WITH LOVE IS BLUE. EVEN IF YOU'VE NEVER PURPOSEFULLY LISTENED TO THAT SONG EVEN ONCE IN YOUR LIFE YOU SURE AS HELL HAVE HEARD TWO SECONDS OF IT ON THIS COMMERCIAL THAT PLAYED SEVERAL BILLION TIMES IN THE 90S. MAURIAT PUT OUT A LUDICROUS NUMBER OF ALBUMS IN HIS DAY AND LOVE IS BLUE IS NOT ON THIS ONE, BUT PONTIEO IS A FUCKIN BANGER AND MAKES THIS PICKUP WORTH IT TO ME

THE RECORD SLEEVE IS BORING BUT AT LEAST IT HAS ONE

BUT WAIT

BONUS RECORD SLEEVE!!! FROM A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT COMPANY! THIS IS MY FAVORITE KIND OF RECORD SLEEVE, ONE WHERE THEY ARE HAWKING THEIR OTHER ALBUMS THAT YOU COULD BE LISTENING TO INSTEAD OF THE TRASHY ONE YOU ALREADY BOUGHT. AND A FUN TIME CAPSULE OF OLD FORGOTTEN RECORDS. I LIKE TO PLAY A GAME WHEN I SEE THIS AND DECIDE WHAT ALBUM I'D LIKE TO PICK UP OUT OF THE LIST. RAY CHARLES DOMINATES THIS SIDE OF THE SLEEVE AND I HAVE TO GO WITH THE GENIUS HITS THE ROAD

THE OTHER SIDE HAS A LOT MORE VARIETY. THE COUNT BASIE DISK IMMEDIATELY CAUGHT MY EYE BUT IF I HAD TO CHOOSE ONLY ONE I CAN'T PASS UP B.B.KING'S LIVE AT THE REGAL

VERY SIMPLE BLACK RECORD LABEL WITH THE PHILIPS LOGO, A RAINBOW STRIP, AND A TRACK LISTING. IT LOOKS NICE, I LIKE IT

SO BY ANY MEASUREMENT, THIS SWAP IS OBJECTIVELY A DOWNGRADE. THIS RECORD WILL PROBABLY NEVER GET PLAYED AS I'VE ALREADY LISTENED TO IT ONLINE, AND WILL ONLY SERVE TO ONE DAY EMBARASS WHICHEVER MEMBER OF MY FAMILY ENDS UP GOING THROUGH MY CRAP WHEN I DROP DEAD. BUT WHILE I WAS DIGGING IN THE EASY LISTENING GARBAGE CRATE FOR JUNK LIKE THIS, A LADY LOOKING THROUGH THE GOOD BOX CAME ACROSS THE ONE I GAVE AWAY AND LOUDLY EXCLAIMED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE COMMUNITY CENTER 'HOLY CRAP BARRY WHITE!!!" SO AT THE VERY LEAST GOOD KARMA WAS GOT AND THAT LADY LEFT THE SWAP HAPPY WITH A NEW TREASURE. WE HAVE THREE ALBUMS TO GO SO WE'LL SEE SOOM HOW THAT KARMA ULTIMATELY WORKED OUT FOR ME SOON

RECORD SWAP - PART 1: THE ONE WHAT WILL MAKE YOU MAD

OK, LET'S GET AHEAD OF THE QUESTION:

REKKIDS? Y U POST REKKIDS?

WE ARE INTO FEBRUARY, THE ONLY TRADING CARD PURCHASE I MADE THIS YEAR GOT CANCELLED AND I NEED SOMETHING TO POST OTHER THAN THE 60SOMETHING CARDS I HAVE LEFT OF MY COMC PICKUPS THAT I HAVE IN THE QUEUE. BESIDES, WHAT ARE ALBUM COVERS BUT GIGANTIC MUSIC-THEMED TRADING CARDS THAT COME FREE WITH A SLAB OF CRUNCHY WAXY STUFF THAT TASTES TERRIBLE 40 YEARS LATER?

EVERY YEAR AT THE LOCAL COMMUNITY CENTER THEY HAVE A BOOK SWAP. YOU CAN DROP OFF BOOKS, CDS, DVDS AND RECORDS AND TAKE HOME AN EQUAL NUMBER OF NEW BOOKS THE NEXT DAY. YOU CAN EVEN TAKE MORE HOME, THE PERSON WHO CHECKED ME OUT WAS PRACTICALLY BEGGING ME TO TAKE MORE BOOKS SO THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO BOX UP THE LEFTOVERS AT THE END OF THE DAY. I'VE DONE THIS FOR A FEW YEARS NOW AND IT'S A LOT OF FUN AND DOESN'T COST ANYTHING. WHILE I MOSTLY TRADE BOOKS (AND LET MY DAUGHTER TAKE MORE AND MORE EACH YEAR) I ALSO TRY TO SWAP OUT SOME MUSIC AND MOVIES EACH YEAR FOR FUN. I HAVE HAD SOME GREAT LUCK FINDING ODDBALL STUFF IN THE PAST SO I FOUND FIVE RECORDS TO SWAP THIS YEAR. HERE'S FIVE POSTS SHOWING OFF WHAT I GAVE UP AND WHAT I GOT IN RETURN. GIVE RECORDS ARE ORDERED IN ORDER OF QUALITY, GOT RECORDS IN THE ORDER I FOUND THEM IN THE CRATES. FIVE POSTS BECAUSE THIS WAY I CAN RAMBLE ON A LITTLE MORE WITHOUT HAVING A GIANT  MONSTROCITY OF A POST WITH 97 IMAGES AND 20,000 WORDS THAT DOESN'T GET PUBLISHED UNTIL JULY

RECORD GIVEN: BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN - BORN IN THE USA

NOW THE YELLING STARTS. WHY THE HELL DID YOU GET RID OF THE BOSS??? ARE YOU SOME KINDA COMYOONISS??? YES, PROBABLY. AND I DECIDED TO TRADE IT BECAUSE IN ORDER FOR A COMMUNITY SWAP TO WORK YOU GOTTA GIVE QUALITY IF YOU HOPE TO GET SOME QUALITY BACK. THIS IS ACTUALLY THE SECOND COPY OF THIS ALBUM I HAD, THE FIRST ONE I HAD WHEN I WAS A KID AND IT JUST SORTA VANISHED AT SOME POINT OR ANOTHER AND THIS COPY I GOT AT A LIBRARY BOOK SALE A FEW YEARS BACK FOR A BUCK. I NEVER LISTENED TO IT EVEN ONCE. I WAS ORIGINALLY GOING TO TRADE IN A CAT STEVENS' GREATEST HITS DISC I ALREADY HAD ON CD, BUT WHEN I TOOK IT OUT TO INSPECT IT I FOUND A GIANT BUT ALMOST INVISIBLE CRACK ON THE THING. I THEN FOUND THIS AND KNEW WHAT I HAD TO DO. I'M HOPING THIS MADE SOMEONE HAPPY, AND THERE'S A THRILL IN DIGGING THROUGH THE CRATES LOOKING FOR SOMETHING THAT'S WAY BETTER THAN THE GOOD THING YOU GAVE UP. BESIDES, THERE ARE MILLIONS OF COPIES OF THIS ALBUM OUT THERE, I CAN GET A DOZEN MORE IF I WANTED

SO THIS IS DEFINITELY AN ICONIC ALBUM COVER, BUT HAVING THE SAME IMAGE ON THE FRONT AND BACK IS A BIT LAZY. THE MARKETERS REALLY KNEW WHAT WAS GOING TO MOVE THIS RECORD.  THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD TRACKLIST THERE, THIS IS PRACTICALLY A GREATEST HITS ALBUM. I AM NOT A HARDCORE SPRINGSTEEN FAN AND DON'T HAVE A LOT TO SAY ABOUT MOST OF IT. GLORY DAYS IS A BANGER THOUGH, THAT IS A FACT. AND IT'S ABOUT BASEBALL! SO THAT MAKES THIS POST COMPLETELY APPROPRIATE FOR THE BLOG

I LOVE RECORD LABELS AND I TOOK PICTURES OF ALL OF THEM AND I'M GOING TO INFLICT THEM UPON YOU. THIS COLUMBIA RECORDS LABEL FROM THE 80S IS A LITTLE BORING THOUGH. I'M NOT CRAZY ABOUT THE YELLOW TEXT AND THEY HAVE SOME MUCH BETTER LABELS

AM REALIZING NOW THAT I DON'T REALLY NEED BOTH SIDES OF THE RECORD LABEL IN THE POST. I TOOK PICTURES OF EVERYTHING BECAUSE I HAVE A THOUGHT IN THE BACK OF MY HEAD TO MAKE A NEW BLOG/TUMBLR/MASTOTWITTERDON ACCOUNT TO POST NOTHING BUT RECORDS BUT THAT'S SOMETHING FOR ANOTHER DAY. I'VE ALREADY UPLOADED ALL THE PICS AND ATE UP MY GIGABYTES SO YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO LOOK AT THEM

THIS IS A NEAT INSERT IN THE RECORD SLEEVE A LYRIC SHEET PRINTED ON TOP OF A FAINT PIC OF BRUCE SO YOU CAN'T REALLY SEE EITHER. I LOVE FINDING NEAT STUFF IN RECORDS SLEEVES, ESPECIALLY EXTRA GOODIES THAT ORIGINALLY CAME WITH THE RECORD

THE SECOND HALF OF THE LYRIC SHEET. IF YOU OPEN IT UP IN A NEW TAB YOU MIGHT EVEN BE ABLE TO READ IT. I'M A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED THE LAST FEW LINES OF I'M ON FIRE ON THE FIRST SIDE OF THE SHEET SO EACH SIDE IS ON ONE SITE OF THE LYRIC SHEET

RECORD GOT: OSCAR LEVANT - LEVANT PLAYS GERSHWIN

WHEN I GOT INTO THE BOOK SWAP THE PLAN OF ATTACK WAS THUS:

1) HIT THE HUMOR TABLE RIGHT INSIDE THE ENTRANCE LOOKING FOR SOME COOL COMIC-RELATED BOOKS (RESULT: SUCCESS)

2) STEER TOWARD THE SPORTS/MOVIES/COLLECTIBLES TABLE TO MAYBE GRAB SOME CARD-RELATED STUFF (RESULT: SUCCESS)

3) ATTACK THE RECORDS. 

I GOT TO THE RECORDS AND THERE WAS ALREADY A FEW LADIES SCROUNGING IN THE ROCK AND POP CRATES SO I HAD TO SETTLE FOR THE GOODWILL-LEFTOVERS EASY LISTENING CRATE. I IMMEDIATELY FOUND THIS ONE. OSCAR LEVANT IS A FANTASTIC PIANIST AND GEORGE GERSHWIN'S MUSIC IS ICONIC. BUT FORGET ALL THAT, THIS ALBUM COVER IS FRIGGIN FANTASTIC. I LOVE 50S ALBUM DESIGN SO MUCH, SO ELAGANTLY CHEESY. ALL THEY REALLY NEEDED WAS THE PIANO, EIFFEL TOWER AND THE PRETTY LADY LOUNGING ON RED WHITE AND BLUE PILLOWS, BUT THEY CRAMMED IN CHAMPAIGNE AND A TOP HAT AND STREAMERS AND A GUY ON CLARINET AND FLAGS AND... HORSE DRAWN CARRIAGES? THERE'S SO MUCH ON THIS COVER

OLD-ASS ALBUM COVERS ALSO HAVE AN ENTIRE NOVEL ON THE BACK FOR LAGNIAPPE SO YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO READ WHILE LISTENING TO THE PRETTY MUSIC. YOU DON'T GET NOVELS WITH YOUR SPOTIFY NOWADAYS, IT'S A DAMN SHAME. NOTE ALSO THE HELPFUL WARNING NOT TO FUCK UP YOUR RECORDS WITH SHITTY NEEDLES. ASK YOUR DEALER FOR NEW COLUMBIA NEEDLES. THAT'S HOW THEY GET YA, LURE YOU IN WITH A NOVEL AND THEN MAKE ALL THE PROFIT ON THE NEEDLES

ANOTHER FUN THING ABOUT PICKING UP OLD RECORDS IS THAT IT'S AN ADVENTURE FINDING OUT IF THERE EVEN IS A RECORD SLEEVE PROTECTING YOU DELICATE WAX. THE BOSS HAD NO SLEEVE AND THUS, NO PICTURES. THIS ONE DOES HAVE A SLEEVE, JUST FOR A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT RECORD. THE WORLD'S BEST LOVED WALTZES BY MORTON GOULD AND HIS ORCHESTRA HAS A PRETTY DOPE COVER ITSELF. HOW LEVANT GOT MORTON'S SLEEVE WE'LL NEVER KNOW

BUT WE GOT A WHOLE SECOND NOVEL OF LINER NOTES FOR WALTZES THIS TIME. THIS WAS A VERY APPROPRIATE PICKUP FROM A BOOK SWAP

NOW THIS IS A BOMB-ASS COLUMBIA RECORDS LABEL. I LOVE THIS ONE SO MUCH. THE BRIGHT RED LABEL, THE TYPE ON THAT COLUMBIA NAME AND THOSE WEIRD LITTLE LOGOS ON EITHER SIDE THAT LOOK LIKE A CYCLOPS, A MARTIAN OR A BEWILDERED DUCK DEPENDING ON HOW YOU LOOK AT IT. FANTASTIC. I KNOW I JUST SAID I WAS GOING TO SHOW OFF BOTH LABEL SIDES BUT BLOGGER JUST ATE SIDE A AND I'M NOT UPLOADING IT AGAIN

FINAL VERDICT: DID I DO GOOD IN THIS SWAP?

EH, I DID OK. I LIKE LOOKING AT THIS COVER BETTER AND RHAPSODY IN BLUE IS AN ALL-TIMER. I DIDN'T SEE WHO GOT MY SPRINGSTEEN DISC BUT I HOPE THEY ARE ENJOYING IT AND USING COLUMBIA NEEDLES FOR THEIR LISTENING EXPERIENCE. I AM SURE THAT GIVING UP SOMETHING QUALITY GAVE ME SOME NEEDED GOOD LUCK FOR FUTURE CRATE DIGGING, WHICH WOU WILL SEE SOON ENOUGH